Lotus Sport Exige GT3 - www.robson.m3rlin.org

Lotus Sport Exige GT3 - www.robson.m3rlin.org

A prototype of the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 race car was unveiled at the annual FIA GT
Championship presentation ceremony outside the world famous Casino in Monte Carlo,
Monaco on 02 December, 2005. The following day (03 December 2005), the first test for the
car took place at the high speed Paul Ricard High Tech Test Track in Southern France under
FIA supervision, the first stage in the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 becoming eligible for FIA GT3
competition. This latest FIA series, which will start in 2006, is for race cars that have an equal
power to weight, and that have a direct lineage to their road going versions.

The Lotus Sport Exige GT3 entrant has been developed by Lotus Sport, the performance arm
of Lotus Cars and is a derivative of the standard Lotus Exige coupe model. Weighing in at
approximately 750 kg, it stays true to the performance through light weight core Lotus
philosophy. The car uses a race prepared 1.8 2ZZ-GE VVTL-i engine with a Roots type
supercharger and air to air intercooler which utilises the Lotus T4e Engine Control Unit to
produce 285 hp (289 PS) at 7,800 rpm. This gives an impressive power to weight ratio of 380
hp / tonne or 2.6 kg / PS.

Following a brief shakedown programme at the Lotus Test Track at Hethel, factory test driver
Gavan Kershaw carried out final chassis set up work on wet tyres in the morning session at the
Paul Ricard official FIA test. This was followed by an outing on slick tyres on a drying track by
FIA nominated test driver Christophe Bouchut.

Commenting on the encouraging test session, Chris Arnold, General Manager of Lotus Sport,
explained: were delighted to attend the official FIA test session. Considering the car was
still on the drawing board two months ago a fantastic achievement by the team to complete
the build in such a short time. We knew this test would be a first shakedown for the car on
slicks and I¡Ë¢çE¢®Ec?m very pleased with the results. Our winter development programme starts with a
wind tunnel test just before Christmas followed by further work in preparation for the next FIA
test in March.

Lotus Sport Exige GT3 - www.robson.m3rlin.org

The FIA has announced a five race European championship for the new GT3 class with rounds
in the UK, Germany, Belgium, France and Italy. Various national GT Championships are also
considering amending their regulations to include a GT3 class.
Basic prototype specification.

Like the standard Exige, the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 comes complete with the award-winning
light weight bonded aluminium chassis. This is complemented by low weight 5-spoke forged
alloy wheels, carbon body panels, and a revised high downforce aerodynamic package
incorporating a race front splitter and adjustable carbon fibre rear wing.

Lotus Sport Exige GT3 - www.robson.m3rlin.org

An FIA 6-point roll cage, ignition kill switches, and uprated braking and suspension systems
including Ohlins 3-way adjustable dampers also feature on the new race car. A 6-speed
sequential transmission system, and full data logging system have been fitted to the singleseater
prototype vehicle.

Availability, full specification, and price of the Lotus Sport Exige GT3 will be announced in early 2006.
According to Lotus, the Exige GT3 model has the following specifications:

Engine:
Toyota Supplied 2ZZ-GE, 1796 cc I-4, DOHC with VVTL-i and Lotus T4e engine mananagement system, supercharged and intercooled
Bore/Stroke 82.0 mm / 85.0 mm
271 bhp (203 kW) @ 8000 rpm
190 ft·lbf (258 N·m) @ 7000 rpm
Compression Ratio: 11.5:1

Transmission: C64-speed, Close Ratio with uprated clutch and cover, open differential

Gear Ratios I/II/III : 3.116:1 / 2.050:1 / 1.481:1
IV/V/VI : 1.166:1 / 0.916:1 / 0.815:1
R/Final Drive : 3.250:1 / 4.529:1

Exige GT3 Performance:

0-60 mph : 3.9 seconds
0-100 km/h : 4.0 seconds
0-100 mph (0-160 km/h) : 9.8 seconds
Top Speed : 160 mph (257 km/h) – electronically limited
Power to weight ratio : 276 bhp (206 kW)/tonne

Note: While the mass of the vehicle has yet to be disclosed, it can be estimated to be around 2170 lb (980 kg) from the disclosure of the power to weight ratio.

The design philosophy of Lotus is “Performance through light weight”, a philosophy first adopted by the founder of Lotus, Colin Chapman. The motto drives Lotus to obtain very high performance with lightweight cars in spite of their relatively modest power outputs, with a strong emphasis on driving purity and dynamics.

The result is a sports car that in production form in 1996 weighed in at just 720 kg (1,500 lb). Compare this to a Porsche Boxster which is also considered to be an extremely lightweight sports car but weighs nearly twice as much — 1,250kg (2,756 lb).

As a result, the Elise’s acceleration, braking, cornering, and fuel consumption (all of which are improved by reductions in a car’s weight) was nothing short of astonishing in spite of the fact that the engine put out a relatively modest 120 bhp (89 kW). Compare that to 201 bhp (149 kW) produced by the 1997 Porsche Boxster.

Although high-tech, it represented affordable cost of ownership for sports car lovers on a budget who still wanted performance and looks.

Besides the “standard” higher-performance variants listed below, Lotus also released some limited edition models such as Sport 135 (1998/9) with approx 145 bhp (108 kW), Sport 160 (2000) with 150–160 bhp (112–119 kW) and Sport 190 (allegedly 190bhp / 142 kW). These were more competent on track with sports suspension, wheels and tyres, seats according to model. There were other special editions which were basically cosmetic treatments such as the 50th Anniversary Edition (green/gold) celebrating 50 years of Lotus cars, the Type 49 (“Gold Leaf” red and white two-tone), and Type 72 (“JPS” black/gold) to recall their successful Grand Prix car type numbers.

The Esprit was again improved with the addition of a water to air intercooler known as the chargecooler producing the SE. Horsepower was pushed up to 264 with 280 available on overboost, and zero to sixty times reduced to an amazing 4.7 seconds, with a top speed of over 160 mph. The chargecooled engine was known as the type 910 S. Modifications to the body kit are also noted. Again the Esprit continued to keep a small or nonexistent gap between itself and competition from rivals such as Ferrari and Porsche.

Along with the SE, Lotus produced the little seen Esprit S, a midrange turbocharged car offering fewer appointments and 228 hp, as well as the standard turbo still offering 215 hp. The N/A and turbo were cancelled after 1990, and the S in 1991.

Esprit SEs were in the films Basic Instinct and Pretty Woman.

The Esprit was a popular and successful addition to the American Bridgestone Supercar Championship and as a result Lotus produced the SE-based X180R, with horsepower bumped to 300 and with racing appointments. The Sport 300 was a derivative of the X180R sold in Europe. These are known as the fastest of the 4 cylinder Esprits and among the most desirable.

In 1993 another exterior and interior revamp of the car resulted in the S4 which was the first model to include power steering. This car was succeeded in 1995 by the S4s, which upped power to 300 bhp while retaining the comfort of the S4. This car was to be the end of the line for the Esprit but a cancelled project for a front engine car had left Lotus with a compact V8 and no car to put it into.

Part I: Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale, Ford GTX1, Lamborghini Gallardo (Spyder, Superleggera), Mercedes-AMG, McLaren Mercedes SLR, Pagani Zonda F

Part II: Lamborghini Murcielago LP640, VW Golf MKV R32, Toyota Supra, Königsegg CCX, Aston Martin V12-Models, Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari Enzo, Nissan Skyline GTR, Porsche 911 (GT3 & Turbo), Ferrari 430, Ford GT & Mustang

Part III: Audi RS4 (V8, MTM), Porsche Carrera GT (& Gemballa Mirage GT), BMW-M (M5, M3 CSL, Hartge H1, Z4M), Nissan 350Z, some others…

Part IV: BMW E92 M3, Cargraphic 911 GT3 RS, Formula 1, Ferrari FXX / F430 Scuderia, some Porsches, a lot of American Muscle, Tubi Style Murcielago & F40/F50/355/360CS, some Imports

Part V: Toyota Supras, Nissan Skylines, Mazda RX7s, SpeedArt Porsches (911, Boxster, Cayenne), Vipers, Carlsson Mercedes (SLK, SL, E), Golf R32 Turbos, M3s, Heffner Gallardo TT, WAIT FOR THE END!!!

Part VI: Caparo T1, Formula 1, Ferrari FXX, Renault Hillclimb, Maserati Tropheo, more American Muscle, loud BMW M5, Nissan 350Z, HKS Skyline, AMS Evo, tuned Carrera GT, Heffner Ford GT, Lexus LF-A, Loaded M3 CSL, LP640, Aston Martin DBS, Ferrari 599, tuned Porsches

Part VII: Audi R8LM, Audi S1 Rally Car, Nissan Skyline, Kreissig 911GT3, Kreissig Lamborghini Countach, Porsche Carrera GT, Zonda, Viper Racingcar, Lamborghini Murcielago..

Part VIII: Several Ferraris, F1, a lot of Racing Cars, Corvette C6R/C5R, Saleen S7R, V8s, Mazda 787LM, McLaren F1, Edo Maserati MC12, BMW M3 GTR, Ascari A10, Cadillac CTS-V Driftcar, RX7, Evo, 350Z, Supra, Lamborghini Gallardo & Diablo GT..

Lotus has announced that it will bring its Exige–a re bodied, hardtop version of the Elise–to the United States this fall. Mechanically, the Exige will be identical to the U.S. Elise, which means a 1.8-liter Toyota four making 190 hp and 138 lb-ft of torque. We won’t see the supercharged, 243-hp engine from the Europe-only 240-R.

The Exige will use the same firmer suspension tuning of the Elise with the optional sport package, but the hardtop Lotus will have a cornering advantage over its open-topped counterpart because the Exige’s unique bodywork creates approximately 90 lbs of down force at 100 mph instead of the Elise’s mere 12 lbs. To put that in perspective, most cars generate significant lift at 100 mph. The increased down force comes chiefly from four factors: the longer, reshaped nose; the front wind splitter; the rear wing; and the covered roof.

All the Exige’s body panels, save the doors, are unique, and these modifications help the Exige scoot around the 2-mile Lotus test track two seconds faster than the Elise.

Other changes for the Exige are limited to reshaped seats (bigger bolsters and cut-outs to fit a racing harness) and black wheels (either cast aluminum or the forged wheels from the Elise sport package). Only 200-300 Exiges will come to the States annually (compared to more than 2000 Elises) at a price Lotus estimates will be in the low- to mid-$50,000 range.

The yellow Exige shown in these photos is the only one in the U.S. at the time of this writing, and it is merely pit-stopping at the New York show on its way to crash testing, so keep your checkbooks at home for now.

Lotus Sport, the performance division of Lotus Cars Ltd., has developed the new Lotus Sport Exige, a direct motor sport derivative of the successful Lotus Exige.

The Lotus designed and engineered race car was part manufactured by RTN, the team responsible for the Le Mans winning Bentley, using the latest motor sport techniques and procedures to produce a lightweight yet strong carbon-fiber bodywork structure around the standard road-going Lotus Exige Aluminum extruded and bonded chassis.

The Lotus Sport designed fully adjustable suspension system with double wishbones all round was fabricated and manufactured by Pilbeam. Power is provided by a 400 hp Swindon Racing Engines tuned GM 3 litre V6 racing engine linked to a Hewland sequential six-speed gearbox, with AP-Racing providing the braking system.

This one-off race car has been built for a South East Asian client and is expected to race in selected sport scar races in Asia. There are no plans as yet to build further examples of the Lotus Sport Exige but the base structure has been carefully designed to comply with key motor sport regulations around the world. Adhering to the key Lotus philosophy of performance through lightweight, the Lotus Sport Exige weighs in at just 850kg.

The whole project, conducted in complete secrecy has taken less than 6 months and the car will run for the first time at the 2½ mile Hethel test track in mid January.

Chris Arnold, General Manager for Lotus Sport explains the philosophy behind the Lotus Sport Exige:

“The Lotus Sport Exige is a competition car developed directly from the road going Exige. The race car uses the existing tub with only minor modifications, and careful design has enabled Lotus Sport to package an upgraded power train assembly whilst maintaining an equivalent weight to the existing road car. When this package is combined with further improvements to suspension and bodywork, it produces a fantastic looking car with great track potential.

The car has been taken from concept to reality in only six months and I thank all our engineering partners and the staff at Lotus who have worked so hard on this fantastic project.”

As the Lotus Sport Exige is, at present, a one-off race car, a price cannot be given for the racecar package.

The Lotus Sport Exige is directly developed from the road-going Lotus Exige that was unveiled at the Geneva Motorshow in 2004. The heart of the Sport Exige is the bonded and extruded Aluminum Chassis, the technology for which was first introduced in the Lotus Elise in 1995. The Exige chassis, which is also used in the Lotus Elise 111R, is the latest development of this award winning structure and weighs 68kg and has a torsional stiffness of 10500 Nm/degree. Made up of 25 separate extrusions, and bonded with an epoxy adhesive, the chassis in the Lotus Sport Exige is an exceptionally stiff, strong and lightweight structure. This Lotus technology is so world-leading that it has been used on other non- Lotus products including high performance production front-engined V12 and V8 GT cars.

An FIA approved 8-point roll cage has been bolted to the chassis, prior to the bodywork being fitted.

Double wishbone front suspension is mounted to the same suspension hard points as the road-going Lotus Exige, whilst the rear suspension picks up to a revised rear sub frame. However, being a full race car, there is adjustment for ride height, camber and castor, as well as adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. Coil springs are mounted over O’hlins ST44 3-way adjustable dampers front and rear.

Lightweight “Z-Preg.” carbon fibre bodywork was specially manufactured for Lotus by RTN, the team responsible for the Le Mans winning Bentley. These panels (front clam, “A” panel, body side and sill, roof, engine cover and rear clam) have been made using an innovative low temperature curing process. The moulds were taken directly from the Sport Exige styling “clay” and the resulting carbon fibre panels are race-ready without having to rely on the costly tooling process used in current carbon fibre technology. This is thought to be the first time that this technology has been used on such large carbon fibre panels.

An aerodynamically developed front splitter, carbon fibre rear diffuser and an adjustable carbon rear wing provide increased levels of down force. The interior of the Lotus Sport Exige is similar to the standard Exige, but the standard road car wiring harness is replaced with a full Raychem 25 system incorporating Mil-spec connectors from Beru Formula 1 Harnesses. Conventional fuses are replaced with circuit breakers, and a Stack display with integrated data recording is fitted as standard.

A racing bucket seat (driver side only) is mounted as right hand drive to optimise weight balance through right hand corners (most circuits run clockwise). A six-point seat belt, prepared for using HANS Safety System, and a removable steering wheel (with quick-connect coupling) is included in the interior package.

The composite energy absorbing crash structure used on the standard road cars is also carried over to the Lotus Sport Exige. This glass fiber composite structure, around five times more energy absorbing than the equivalent steel component, also houses the larger water radiator and provides efficient cooling and air ducting over the carbon front clamshell.

A 100 liter FT3 safety fuel cell (with quick refueling system) is mounted behind the driver and in front of the engine (as with the road-going Exige). A fully plumbed in electrical fire extinguishing system completes the body package.

AP Racing provides the non-ABS braking system, which includes the pedal box (with brake balance bar and cylinders). AP Racing also provides the powerful six piston brake calipers at the front and four piston brake calipers at the rear. These calipers are mated to vented discs (344 mm diameter at the front and 330 mm diameter at the rear).

Ultra lightweight OZ Racing Chrono single-piece cast magnesium rims (8.8J x 17 ET40 at the front and 11.25J x 18 ET50 at the rear) are shod with Yokohama tires (250/610-17 at the front and 280/650-18 at the rear).

A narrow angle V6, 2,998 cc Swindon Racing Engines tuned GM racing engine is mounted longitudinally in the Lotus Sport Exige. The naturally aspirated 24-valve engine produces 400 hp (296 kW or 405 PS) at 7,750 rpm and 294 lb.ft (398 Nm or 40.6 kg/m) of torque at 6,500 rpm and has a maximum engine speed of 8,250 rpm. When the light weight of the Lotus Sport Exige is taken into consideration, the power to weight ratio is a phenomenal 470 hp / tonne (0.351 kW/kg or 476 PS/tonne). The engine itself weighs 157 kg.

Breathing is via an F1-style air box and air snorkel from the roof panel of the Sport Exige directly into the six carbon fiber air trumpets.

The dry-sump engine, with a bore of 86 mm and stroke of 86 mm is water cooled and also uses an oil-water heat exchanger to efficiently cool the oil. The whole engine is controlled by a Motec M600 electronic engine management system fitted inside the cockpit.

The power is transferred from the engine to the rear wheels via a single mass stepped flywheel, AP Racing twin-disc cerametallic race clutch and Hewland NLT sequential six-speed dog type transmission (with in-line shift mechanism). The gearbox itself is cooled through an oil-water heat exchanger. A limited slip differential (separate power and brake ramp angles) completes the power train package.

The one-off race car has been designed by Barney Hatt (Principal Designer for Lotus Design), under the direction of Russell Carr (Chief of Design). Taking the already aerodynamic road going Exige, Hatt designed the Lotus Sport Exige with the requirements to carry the design of the Exige and the brand attributes of Lotus into a competitive race car.

Russell Carr explains the work needed to design the Lotus Sport Exige: “The objective was to create a dramatic design and to take into account aerodynamic criteria to produce a race car that was not only competitive but also stunningly good looking. General motors port regulations also had to be adhered to so the fact that the resulting race car looks like a natural competition evolution of the road going Exige is a testament to the purity and effectiveness of the original design.”

The Lotus Sport Exige is slightly longer (350 mm) and wider (100 mm) than the road-going Exige to accommodate the larger engine, wider track, longer wheelbase and to optimize the aerodynamics. The length is mainly from the cockpit rearwards but the short rear overhang design of the road-going Exige is maintained.

• Narrow (56°) angle V6 engine, water-cooled
• 2,998 cc, stroke 86 mm, bore 86 mm.
• Max. power: 400 hp (296 kW or 405 PS) at 7,750 rpm
• Max. torque: 294 lb.ft (398 Nm or 40.6 kg/m) at 6,500 rpm
• Max. rpm: 8,250 rpm
• Four valve technology
• Oil-cooler (oil-water heat exchanger)
• Dry-sump lubrication
• SRE Multi-roller barrel throttle bodies
• F1 style air box and air snorkel
• Motec M600 electronic engine management system
• Required fuel quality: 98 octane super unleaded
• Race exhaust: multiple pipe manifold, open exhaust
• No catalytic converter

• Hewland sequential six-speed dog type transmission, straight cut gears
• In-line shift mechanism
• Gear ratios: Crown wheel & pinion gear 9:35
– 1st gear 12:36
– 2nd gear 15:33
– 3rd gear 18:30
– 4th gear 20:26
– 5th gear 24:26
– 6th gear 26:24
• Oil-water heat exchanger
• Single-mass flywheel
• AP Racing twin-disc cerametallic race clutch
• Limited slip differential (separate power and brake ramp angles)
• Rear-wheel drive

• RHD race vehicle developed from Lotus Exige road car
• Lotus bonded aluminum chassis and composite crash structure
• Bolted on 8-point roll cage (in accordance with FIA-Regulations 2004)
• Three-point AP Racing air jack system

• Weight optimized and widened Exige
• Lotus Design RTN “Z-preg.” carbon fiber bodywork
• Aerodynamically developed front splitter and rear diffuser
• Adjustable carbon rear wing
• Racing bucket seat (driver side only)
• Six-point seat belt, prepared for using HANS Safety System
• Removable steering wheel (with quick-connect coupling)
• Electrical fire extinguishing system
• 100 liter FT3 safety fuel cell with quick refueling system
• Total weight of bodywork excluding doors ~ 44 kg

• Double wishbone front suspension with spherical bearings
• Adjustable front anti-roll bar
• Non-PAS
• Double wishbone rear suspension with spherical bearings
• Adjustable rear anti-roll bar
• O’hlins ST44 3-way adjustable dampers
• Coil over damper springs front and rear
• Suspension adjustable for ride heights, camber and castor

• Non-ABS system
• AP Racing pedal box with brake balance bar and AP Racing cylinders
• Aeroquip style brake lines
• Front AP Racing six piston brake calipers
• AP Racing vented discs diameter: 344 mm
• Aluminum disc bells, race brake pads
• Rear AP Racing four piston brake calipers
• AP Racing vented discs diameter: 330 mm
• Aluminum disc bells, race brake pads

• OZ Racing Chrono single-piece cast magnesium rims:
• F – 8.8J x 17 ET40
• R – 11.25J x 18 ET50
• Yokohama tyres
• F – 250/610-17
• R – 280/650-18
• Single central wheel nuts with locking device

• Motec M600 engine management
• Stack display with integrated data recording
• Raychem 25 system wiring looms and Mil spec connectors
• Red Top battery: 12 Volt, 50 Ah
• Twin Bosch fuel pumps with change over switch
• Floor mounted carbon fiber center switch console
• Circuit breaker switches (no fuses)
• 120 Ah Alternator

Lotus Europa S is a GT type two seater automobile designed to complement the very successful Lotus Elise sports car and its derivative, the Exige. The name is borrowed from the legendary Lotus Europa of the 1960s and 1970s.

The Europa S is a light weight car of 995 kg (2194 lb) with a 149 kW (200 hp) 2.0 L engine. It uses an extruded and bonded aluminium chassis with composite body panels and front crash structure.

The Europa S is more “relaxed” than the Elise/Exige with a larger boot, greater soundproofing, and easier cabin access due to the lower chassis sides, and higher roof line. It also includes luxuries such as air conditioning, custom stereo sound system, leather interior, and plush interior carpeting as standard equipment in keeping with European Grand Touring (GT) auto tradition.

The car was originally planned to be manufactured at parent company Proton’s factory in Malaysia, allowing for a significantly lower sale price, but ultimately the company chose the Lotus Hethel factory for its production.

Delivery of the Europa S began in September 2006 from the Lotus factory at Hethel, Norfolk, UK. The car is not expected to be offered for sale in the United States or Canada at first, as the Opel/Vauxhall-built turbo is not currently certified to meet emissions requirements for those countries. MSRP is projected at approximately £33,000 (€49,000, $63,000).

The Europa S is a derivative of the Lotus Type 111 Elise and Exige cars only in that they sport variations of the same bonded aluminum chassis, the Europa bears a separate Lotus model designation (Type 121) due, in part, to its longer chassis and completely new body type.

The mid-engined two seat coupe sports a 2.0 L turbocharged GM Ecotec engine producing 147 kW (197 hp/203 PS) at 5400 rpm. The torquey 272 N·m (200 ft·lbf) engine allows the car to reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in around 5.6 seconds, and 100 mph (161 km/h) in around 13.8 seconds. Maximum speed is 143 mph (230 km/h).

Initial reviews of the Europa S have not been in line with the sister models Elise and Exige, The Sunday Times noting that while introducing a lower revving engine (General Motors 1998 cc, 4 cylinder turbocharged) creates a more comfortable level of sound, the performance is noticeably different from the higher revving Toyota engines, and with a heavier body shell, the performance isn’t in line with the Elise or Exige. It has the same wheelbase as the Vauxhall VX220, which is longer than that of the Elise.

Jason Plato, from British TV show Fifth Gear, tested the car and generally didn’t find it good enough to be a proper GT car because he thought that the car needs to be more comfortable.

However, respected performance car magazine Evo gave the car a generally positive review after being given the chance to test a production model in Belgium’s famed Spa-Francorchamps circuit, saying that the car was a “refreshingly mature and desirable sports car.” During the same session, Evo group tested the Porsche Cayman S, BMW Z4 M and Nissan 350Z GT-S and “couldn’t resist” comparing the Lotus to these three decidedly more expensive coupes. While the Lotus was slower than the three cars, Evo concluded that at around £33,000, it would be a very good match for the three cars lower spec versions.

2006 Lotus Europa S

Engine & transmission
Type: I6, turbo
Layout: Mid Engine / RWD
Displacement (cm3): 1996
Power (bhp): 200@5400
Torque (nm): 263@4200
Gearbox: n/a
Performance
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 5.6 sec
Acceleration 0-200 km/h: n/a
1/4 mile: n/a
Top speed: 225 km/h
Dimensions & Weight
Lenght: n/a
Width: n/a
Height: n/a
Weight: 995 Kg

Make no mistake, the Lotus Turbo Esprit was not just a slightly modified Esprit, nor just an easy and conventional way of gaining incremental sales for Lotus. In the Hethel scheme of things it was very important and technically very significant, if only for the fact that it was chosen to spearhead a new assault on the United States market in 1983. It is tempting to suggest that if only Lotus had been able to give the car a different body style, they would certainly have been justified in giving it an entirely different name as well. Under the skin, which was extensively retouched by Giugiaro, there was a new chassis-frame, new rear suspension, new aerodynamic features and a turbocharged version of the 2.2-litre 16-valve engine, which produced no less than 210bhp. For this amazing car, Lotus claimed a top speed of 152mph —and it meant that they had produced their first true Supercar. By any engineering standards, the Turbo Esprit was, and is, a phenomenal motor car. However, like the original Esprit, it was first shown to the public a long time before deliveries could possibly begin. The occasion of the car’s launch was an extravagant party at the Albert Hall, in London, hosted by Team Lotus’ Grand Prix sponsors at that time, Essex Petroleum, in which one of the three prototypes was displayed in the dramatic Essex blue, silver and red livery. Although the Turbo Esprit was the first Lotus actually to be exhibited with a 2.2-litre engine, the normally-aspirated version of this unit had already gone into production for the S2.2 models. Even so, because of the rush to show a Turbo Esprit at the Albert Hall, the planned release of non-turbocharged engines was overshadowed for several months.

Lotus’ own press material stresses the scope and nature of the new car’s development: ‘… this new addition to our model range is not an Esprit with a bolt-on Turbo pack, but a fully developed and redesigned motor car in its own right.’ So much of the car was new, indeed, that it would probably be easier to list what was not changed, modified or improved. For a start, there was a new design of backbone frame, prepared not only because Lotus wanted to provide an altogether more integrated structure than before, and to accommodate a new rear suspension, but also because they wanted to leave enough space for the still-secret V8 unit to be fitted one day. Lotus made no secret of the existence of a large-capacity V8 engine in their development programme, which explain6 why the engine bay of the new frame was wider and the general layout so much more sturdy.

At the front of the car, the independent suspension — now with more Lotus-sourced parts than ever — and rack-and-pinion steering of existing Esprits was retained, but at the rear there was a new layout. Earlier cars had used the simplest possible linkage, in which the fixed-length driveshafts doubled as upper transverse links. The disadvantage of this was that comenng stresses were fed into the final drive housing, found their way to the rest of the engine/transmission assembly and did little to minimize harshness and vibration in the structure. For the new car, there was a new linkage, with a wide-based lower wishbone and an upper transverse link, which allowed the driveshaft to have sliding joints and to carry out only one function; coil spring/damper units, of course, were also retained. Development of the new car began before the end of 1977, and if so much effort had not needed to be diverted into the DeLorean project, it would certainly have been announced months earlier than was the case. Even so, the M72, as the Turbo Esprit was known — M7 1 was the project including the V8 engine, by the way — progressed from ‘good idea’ to production car in little over two years. Apart from the new chassis and suspension, early decisions had to be made about the body style and the changes to the engine.

Compared with the bodyshell on normal Esprits of the period, there were many obvious changes and additions, mostly made for good aerodynamic reasons. The main shape and structure was unchanged, but differences were obvious from all angles. At the front, there was a larger wrap-round bumper allied to a deep new spoiler. There were matching skirts along the sides, under the doors, complete with NACA-type ducts moulded in to direct cooling air towards the engine compartment. At the rear there was a sizeable and completely functional spoiler above the tail-lamps and number-plate, a large bumper matching the front component and extra skirting under the tail. Above the engine bay, instead of glass there was Venetian-blind-style black louvring. In addition, not only to make the styling even more distinctive, but to optimize the roadholding, there were 1 5in diameter alloy road wheels of a new style, with 7in front and 8in rear rims and Goodyear NCT tyres. Most Turbos have been sold on BB’s wheels, but a few early cars were supplied with three-piece Compomotive rims instead. To produce the new Type 910 engine Lotus redesigned the Type 907 from end to end, and the final product differs in almost every detail from normally-aspirated Type 911 (Talbot Sunbeam-Lotus) and Type 912 (S2.2 Lotus) units. The finalized engine had its Garrett AiResearch turbocharger mounted above the clutch bellhousing, behind the cylinder block, and boosted inlet air to the Dellorto carburettors to a peak of 8psi above atmospheric pressure. To compensate for this, and to optimize all settings, the nominal compression was reduced to 7.5:1 (from 9.4:1) and there was a different camshaft profile. A feature not always noticed by the pundits was the dry-sump lubrication system.

The result of a great deal of development work was not only a very powerful engine — peak power was 210bhp (DIN) at 6,250rpm and peak torque 2001b.ft at 4,500rpm — but one which was extremely flexible, having mostly ‘non-turbo’ habits. Its behaviour was so unexpectedly good, for instance, that Motor Sport headlined its test, ‘The perfect driving machine?’, while Autocar called the very same car a ‘paragon of the turbocharged’. To deal with all this power, the only important changes were to the clutch — whose diameter was increased by an inch — and the brakes, which were larger — but not ventilated — at front and rear. Inside the car, it was still the same basic layout as before, with no more space for stowing oddments, cases or especially children(!) though there was a new and plushy type of trim and padding, while the Essex cars were given air conditioning as standard and a complex Panasonic radio cassette player mounted in the centre of the roof panel; unfortunately this was FM (VHF wavelength) only, so was disliked by most customers and was dropped when the Essex Commemorative run was complete. Although the Essex Turbo Esprit, price £20,950, had been announced in February 1980, deliveries did not begin until August that year, immediately after the summer holiday shut-down. However, although development work had been completed to ‘Federalize’ the sensational engine, the Turbo Esprit, as already explained, was not sent to the United States at this stage. In its first calendar year, 1980, therefore, a total of 57 Turbos were built, of which 44 stayed in the UK

Apart from the price of the Turbo — which in January 1981 had not changed from the launch figure — another feature which seemed to disturb some potential customers was the flamboyant Essex colour scheme. Very wisely, therefore, Lotus decided to offer a more conventional machine once the intended 100 Essex cars had been built. From April 1981 a Turbo Esprit in conventional colours, but still with all the appropriate body panels and decals, was made available for £16,917, though part of this huge price reduction was due to the fact that air conditioning was now an optional extra. Demand perked up almost at once, and in spite of the generally reduced level of Lotus sales in 1981 and 1982, Turbo production rose to 116 in 1981 and 205 in 1982. In 1982, the Turbo was the fastest-selling Lotus model, backed up by the normally-aspirated Esprit S3, of which 160 cars were built. The glamorous publicity occasioned by the use of Turbo Esprits in the James Bond film For Your Eyes Only did no harm at all! Lotus had had several traumatic experiences in trying to sell and support cars in the United States, but Mike Kimberley thought that a new deal would offer the best of all possible worlds. Before the end of 1982, a new company, Lotus Performance Cars, was set up on the East Coast, headed by John A Spiech, previously General Manager of Ferrari, North America – a 1,000 cars per year operation —and it was suggested that 350 cars would be sold in 1983, with 700 projected for 1986.

As Mike Kimberley told me: ‘We have a special car for this market, which is really a brand new model, with a new set of body moulds, a lot more space, foot boxes and headroom, and so on. We’re going in for the first time ever with a clean market. There hasn’t been mid-engined Lotus for sale over there since 1981, and the Turbo was never launched over there, so it’s all new. Even though the 1983 Federal Turbo Esprit kept its original project number of M72, it was new or modified in many respects, and factory personnel were very excited about its prospects, especially as the peak power output had needed only minor trimming. Lotus viewed the realignment of £/$ exchange rates as an unqualified bonus for them as exporters. Early in 1983 they were expecting to price their Turbo Esprit at $48,000, compared with the $60,000 asked for the equivalent two-seater Ferrari 308. ‘And,’ as Kimberley quoted with glee, ‘our car will do 0—60mph in 6.5sec in full detoxed trim, whereas that Ferrari takes 8.3sec.’ After March 1983, all Turbo Esprits were built with conventional wet-sump engine lubrication. The dry-sumping introduced in 1980 was always agreed to be a real safety-conscious ‘belt and braces’ job, and prolonged testing convinced the engineers that it was not really needed.

The success of this car, and the almost universal praise for its engineering, behaviour and detail fittings, all go to prove that at this price a customer is more interested in ‘the right specification than in mundane practicality. If he is not in the Turbo Esprit price class, he simply would not appreciate that the extrovert good looks also have a functional effect on the car’s aerodynamics, but he would appreciate the intercooling effect of the finned manifolding from turbocharger to carburettor plenum chamber, the remarkable grip and handling and the excellent lie-down driving position. And if he were a Turbo Esprit enthusiast, he would make sure that he never went kerb-hopping to cause punctures anyway. To avoid confusion in future years, the existence of the Bell & Colvill Esprit Turbo must be mentioned at this stage. Bell & Colvill, based at West Horsley, in Surrey, are Lotus dealers, and in 1978 they announced their own privately-financed turbocharged conversion on the basis of the Esprit S2. This car, of course, was the 2-litre model, and the turbocharging layout was entirely different, having been developed by Stuart Mathieson on his own account. In this conversion, priced at £2,000, there was a single and very large SU carburettor upstream of the Garrett AiResearch turbocharger, which fed the fuel-air mixture at a maximum boost of 8psi to the engine, whose nominal compression ratio had been reduced to 7.5:1 by the use of new pistons. Peak power was quoted at 210bhp at 6,000rpm, while peak torque was 2021b.ft.

Although it was neither as flexible, nor as refined as the factory Turbo which was to follow, the Bell & Colvill car was undoubtedly very fast, with a claimed top speed of more than 150mph, 0—60mph in 6.2sec and 0—100mph in 17.2sec. The only way that one could identify this car externally was because B & C had added ‘turbo’ decals to the front and sides of the car, near the factory’s own ‘Esprit’ decals. Esprit Turbo in the mid-Eighties From 1983 to 1986 the Esprit Turbo was virtually buried under the tide of controversy which surrounded Lotus, their finances and their many commercial problems. Somehow, though, customers rose above all this and ordered the car in increased quantities. The Esprit Turbo was Lotus’ best seller in each of those years — and in much-modified early-Nineties form it was the only car which kept Lotus afloat. The corporate upheavals have already been summarized in Chapter 3. In the autumn of 1983 the Turbo was modified by being given a rather more spacious boot compartment, but there was also the introduction of an intriguing option, a removable glass panel in the roof. It made a good car even more versatile.

In 1983, 343 cars were built and no fewer than 418 would follow in 1984. In all this success, the building of Lotus’ 30,000th car, in May 1984, passed almost unnoticed. Except that the new eight-year anti-corrosion warranty was applied to the Turbo’s chassis from late 1984, there were to be no more significant changes until March 1986. That was the year in which not one, but two powerful new derivatives were launched: one for sale to the USA and other ‘strict-emission’ markets; the other for sale to the rest of the world.

In March 1986, at the Geneva motor show, the Turbo HCPI (HC = High Compression, with Petrol Injection) was unveiled. The compression ratio had been increased to 8.0:1, maximum boost pressure was up, and not only was this the first Lotus to use injection — the familiar Bosch K-Jetronic layout — but it also had a catalytic converter in the exhaust system. The packaging engineers had done their best to make the cockpit more roomy, for the seats had been widened and lowered, while the footwell area had been enlarged. Not only was the engine more powerful and more torquey than before, but the chassis had been improved with wider-section tyres (195/60s at the front, 235/60s at the rear), while there was a new front spoiler and a larger radiator intake. To drill home the message this car also had HCPI decals. The ‘Rest of the World’ derivative of this car, titled Esprit Turbo HC, was put on sale in October 1986. It shared the same high-compression head of the HCPI, but retained its Dellorto carburettors and was not fitted with a catalyst. Like changes made to the normally-aspirated Esprit at the same time, the latest HC also had an uprated cooling system and adjustable-rake seats. It was a more expensive car than before – £24,980 in the UK, which was an increase of £l,540 on the original type. Compared with the earlier Turbo there had been a 10 per cent torque increase, which made an immediate and obvious difference to the performance. When Autocar tested the car in 1987, it was summarized as: ‘In many areas … a very practical supercar … a remarkably satisfying device with which to cover long distances quickly. But with many less expensive sportscars now offering similar performance, the Lotus begins to look a little less attractive than it did three years ago. The same cannot be said for its styling, however, which remains truly exotic.’ By that time, however, the original-shape Esprit was only a few months away from the end of its long career, though Lotus managed to keep this secret well hidden until the very last month. In the autumn of 1987 the old car was discontinued and a new-style, more rounded, X180 model took over.

The Turbo version was also to feature in the James Bond movie “For Your Eyes Only” (1981).

The Lotus Esprit Turbo Technical Specification
ENGINE

Transverse, mid, rear-wheel drive
Head/ block al. alloy/al alloy. 4 cylinders in line.
Bore 95.3mm, stroke 76.2mm,
capacity 2174cc.
Valve gear 2ohc. 4 valves per cylinder.
Compression ratio 80 to 1.
Electronic breakerless ignition.
Twin Dellorto DHLA 45 carburettors
Garrett T3 turbocharger.
boost pressure 9.5psi (0.67bar).
Max power 215bhp (PS-DIN) (160kW ISO) at 6000rpm.
Max torque 2201b ft (298 Nm) at 4250rpm.
TRANSMISSION
5-speed manual
Gear Ratio
Top 0.82
4th 1.03
3rd 1.38
2nd 2.05
1st 3.36
Final drive ratio 3.88:1.
Transaxle: Renault UN1-16 all – Syncromesh
SUSPENSION

Front, independent, double wishbone. co-axail coil springs, telescopic dampers, and-roll bar. Rear, independent, upper and lower transverse link with radius arms, coil springs, telescopic dampers, anti-roll bar.
STEERING
Rack and pinion.
Steering wheel diameter l4ins,
2.9 turns lock to lock.
BRAKES
Front l0.1ins(258mm) dia ventilated discs.
Rear l0.8ins (275.9mm) dia discs.
Vacuum servo.
WHEELS
Al alloy,7ins rims front. 8ins rear.
Goodyear Eagle NCT tyres
size 195/60VR15 F,
235/60VR15 R.
DIMENSIONS
Length: 4330 mm
Width: 1860 mm
Height: 1150 mm
PERFORMANCE
Maximum Speed: 153.5 mph (247 kpm)
Acceleration: 0 – 60 mph, 5.4 Seconds
Standing mile: 13.7secs, 103mph
standing KM: 25.0secs, 129mph
FUEL CONSUMPTION
Overall mpg: 19.6 (14.4 litres/100km)
Fuel tank: 18.0 Imp galls (82 litres)
Mileage recorder 4 per cent long
CLUTCH
Pedal 15lb; Travel: 6.O ins
Single Dry Plate 235 mm diameter, diaphragm spring cover assembly, hydrolic operation
WEIGHT
kerb 3052lb/1386kg
distribution % F/R 51/49
Test 3434lb/l559kg
Max payload 501lb/227kg
COST
LOTUS ESPRIT TURBO NEW IN 1988 – £29.950.00

The new Lotus Europa S, a Grand Tourer (GT) inspired two-seater,
will provide Lotus customers a spectacular sportscar with significantly
enhanced levels of touring and cruising capability, as well as higher levels
of comfort and refinement to complement the simplicity of the Lotus Elise
and Exige models.

The Europa S follows the core Lotus philosophy of performance
through light weight, enabling this refined and high-performing GT car to
weigh a mere 995 kg, making it class – leading in this respect. This low
weight has been obtained through the clever use of advanced and high-tech
materials including an extruded and bonded aluminium chassis, composite body
panels and a very advanced composite energy absorbing front crash structure.

When compared to the award-winning Lotus Elise, the Europa S has a
larger boot / luggage compartment and easier cabin access, resulting from
lower chassis sides and a higher roof line. Combined with a full leather
interior, Satellite Navigation and driver and passenger airbags all as
standard, Lotus has created it’s interpretation of a “Business Class”
driving experience, which remains true to the Company’s design philosophy.

The new mid-engine coupe will deliver high levels of performance
from a high torque (272 Nm or 200 lbft at 5000 rpm) 2.0-litre turbo engine
producing 147 kW (197 hp or 200 PS) at 5400rpm.

The Lotus Europa S achieves around 90% of its maximum torque at only
2000 rpm to give class-leading levels of acceleration from low engine
speeds, propelling the car from 0 – 100 km/h in 5.9 seconds (0 – 60 mph in
5.6 seconds), and 160 km/h (100 mph) in 13.6 seconds.

Maximum speed is 240 km/h (150 mph). Being a Lotus, the Europa S has
a competitive power to weight ratio of 198 hp / tonne (205 PS / tonne or 148
kW / tonne).

Lotus Sport, the performance division of Lotus Cars Ltd., has developed the new Lotus Sport Exige, a direct motorsport derivative of the successful Lotus Exige.
The Lotus designed and engineered racecar was part manufactured by RTN, the team responsible for the Le Mans winning Bentley, using the latest motorsport techniques and procedures to produce a lightweight yet strong carbon-fibre bodywork structure around the standard road-going Lotus Exige Aluminium extruded and bonded chassis.
The Lotus Sport designed fully adjustable suspension system with double wishbones all round was fabricated and manufactured by Pilbeam. Power is provided by a 400 hp Swindon Racing Engines tuned GM 3 litre V6 racing engine linked to a Hewland sequential six-speed gearbox, with AP-Racing providing the braking system.

This one-off racecar has been built for a South East Asian client and is expected to race in selected sportscar races in Asia. There are no plans as yet to build further examples of the Lotus Sport Exige but the base structure has been carefully designed to comply with key motorsport regulations around the world. Adhering to the key Lotus philosophy of performance through lightweight, the Lotus Sport Exige weighs in at just 850kg.

The whole project, conducted in complete secrecy has taken less than 6 months and the car will run for the first time at the 2½ mile Hethel test track in mid January.

Chris Arnold, General Manager for Lotus Sport explains the philosophy behind the Lotus Sport Exige:

“The Lotus Sport Exige is a competition car developed directly from the road going Exige. The racecar uses the existing tub with only minor modifications, and careful design has enabled Lotus Sport to package an upgraded powertrain assembly whilst maintaining an equivalent weight to the existing road car. When this package is combined with further improvements to suspension and bodywork, it produces a fantastic looking car with great track potential.

The car has been taken from concept to reality in only six months and I thank all our engineering partners and the staff at Lotus who have worked so hard on this fantastic project.”

As the Lotus Sport Exige is, at present, a one-off racecar, a price cannot be given for the racecar package.

The Lotus Sport Exige is directly developed from the road-going Lotus Exige that was unveiled at the Geneva Motorshow in 2004. The heart of the Sport Exige is the bonded and extruded Aluminium Chassis, the technology for which was first introduced in the Lotus Elise in 1995. The Exige chassis, which is also used in the Lotus Elise 111R, is the latest development of this award winning structure and weighs 68kg and has a torsional stiffness of 10500 Nm/degree. Made up of 25 separate extrusions, and bonded with an epoxy adhesive, the chassis in the Lotus Sport Exige is an exceptionally stiff, strong and lightweight structure. This Lotus technology is so world-leading that it has been used on other non- Lotus products including high performance production front-engined V12 and V8 GT cars.

An FIA approved 8-point roll cage has been bolted to the chassis, prior to the bodywork being fitted.

Double wishbone front suspension is mounted to the same suspension hard points as the road-going Lotus Exige, whilst the rear suspension picks up to a revised rear subframe. However, being a full racecar, there is adjustment for ride height, camber and castor, as well as adjustable front and rear anti-roll bars. Coil springs are mounted over Ohlins ST44 3-way adjustable dampers front and rear.

Lightweight “Z-Preg.” carbon fibre bodywork was specially manufactured for Lotus by RTN, the team responsible for the Le Mans winning Bentley. These panels (front clam, “A” panel, body side and sill, roof, engine cover and rear clam) have been made using an innovative low temperature curing process. The moulds were taken directly from the Sport Exige styling “clay” and the resulting carbon fibre panels are race-ready without having to rely on the costly tooling process used in current carbon fibre technology. This is thought to be the first time that this technology has been used on such large carbon fibre panels.

An aerodynamically developed front splitter, carbon fibre rear diffuser and an adjustable carbon rear wing provide increased levels of downforce. The interior of the Lotus Sport Exige is similar to the standard Exige, but the standard roadcar wiring harness is replaced with a full Raychem 25 system incorporating Mil-spec connectors from Beru Formula 1 Harnesses. Conventional fuses are replaced with circuit breakers, and a Stack display with integrated data recording is fitted as standard.

A racing bucket seat (driver side only) is mounted as right hand drive to optimise weight balance through right hand corners (most circuits run clockwise). A six-point seat belt, prepared for using HANS Safety System, and a removable steering wheel (with quick-connect coupling) is included in the interior package.

The composite energy absorbing crash structure used on the standard road cars is also carried over to the Lotus Sport Exige. This glass fibre composite structure, around five times more energy absorbing than the equivalent steel component, also houses the larger water radiator and provides efficient cooling and air ducting over the carbon front clamshell.

A 100 litre FT3 safety fuel cell (with quick refuelling system) is mounted behind the driver and in front of the engine (as with the road-going Exige). A fully plumbed in electrical fire extinguishing system completes the body package.

AP Racing provides the non-ABS braking system, which includes the pedal box (with brake balance bar and cylinders). AP Racing also provides the powerful six piston brake calipers at the front and four piston brake calipers at the rear. These calipers are mated to vented discs (344 mm diameter at the front and 330 mm diameter at the rear).

Ultra lightweight OZ Racing Chrono single-piece cast magnesium rims (8.8J x 17 ET40 at the front and 11.25J x 18 ET50 at the rear) are shod with Yokohama tyres (250/610-17 at the front and 280/650-18 at the rear).

A narrow angle V6, 2,998 cc Swindon Racing Engines tuned GM racing engine is mounted longitudinally in the Lotus Sport Exige. The naturally aspirated 24-valve engine produces 400 hp (296 kW or 405 PS) at 7,750 rpm and 294 lb.ft (398 Nm or 40.6 kgm) of torque at 6,500 rpm and has a maximum engine speed of 8,250 rpm. When the light weight of the Lotus Sport Exige is taken into consideration, the power to weight ratio is a phenomenal 470 hp / tonne (0.351 kW/kg or 476 PS/tonne). The engine itself weighs 157 kg.

Breathing is via an F1-style airbox and air snorkel from the roof panel of the Sport Exige directly into the six carbon fibre air trumpets.

The dry-sump engine, with a bore of 86 mm and stroke of 86 mm is water cooled and also uses an oil-water heat exchanger to efficiently cool the oil. The whole engine is controlled by a Motec M600 electronic engine management system fitted inside the cockpit.

The power is transferred from the engine to the rear wheels via a single mass stepped flywheel, AP Racing twin-disc cerametallic race clutch and Hewland NLT sequential six-speed dog type transmission (with in-line shift mechanism). The gearbox itself is cooled through an oil-water heat exchanger. A limited slip differential (separate power and brake ramp angles) completes the powertrain package.

The one-off racecar has been designed by Barney Hatt (Principal Designer for Lotus Design), under the direction of Russell Carr (Chief of Design). Taking the already aerodynamic road going Exige, Hatt designed the Lotus Sport Exige with the requirements to carry the design of the Exige and the brand attributes of Lotus into a competitive racecar.

Russell Carr explains the work needed to design the Lotus Sport Exige: “The objective was to create a dramatic design and to take into account aerodynamic criteria to produce a race car that was not only competitive but also stunningly good looking. General motorsport regulations also had to be adhered to so the fact that the resulting racecar looks like a natural competition evolution of the road going Exige is a testament to the purity and effectiveness of the original design.”

The Lotus Sport Exige is slightly longer (350 mm) and wider (100 mm) than the road-going Exige to accommodate the larger engine, wider track, longer wheelbase and to optimise the aerodynamics. The length is mainly from the cockpit rearwards but the short rear overhang design of the road-going Exige is maintained.

Technical Specifications

Engine
• Narrow (56°) angle V6 engine, water-cooled
• 2,998 cc, stroke 86 mm, bore 86 mm.
• Max. power: 400 hp (296 kW or 405 PS) at 7,750 rpm
• Max. torque: 294 lb.ft (398 Nm or 40.6 kgm) at 6,500 rpm
• Max. rpm: 8,250 rpm
• Four valve technology
• Oil-cooler (oil-water heat exchanger)
• Dry-sump lubrication
• SRE Multi-roller barrel throttle bodies
• F1 style airbox and air snorkel
• Motec M600 electronic engine management system
• Required fuel quality: 98 octane super unleaded
• Race exhaust: multiple pipe manifold, open exhaust
• No catalytic converter

Transmission
• Hewland sequential six-speed dog type transmission, straight cut gears
• In-line shift mechanism
• Gear ratios: Crown wheel & pinion gear 9:35
– 1st gear 12:36
– 2nd gear 15:33
– 3rd gear 18:30
– 4th gear 20:26
– 5th gear 24:26
– 6th gear 26:24
• Oil-water heat exchanger
• Single-mass flywheel
• AP Racing twin-disc cerametallic race clutch
• Limited slip differential (separate power and brake ramp angles)
• Rear-wheel drive

Chassis
• RHD race vehicle developed from Lotus Exige road car
• Lotus bonded aluminium chassis and composite crash structure
• Bolted on 8-point roll cage (in accordance with FIA-Regulations 2004)
• Three-point AP Racing air jack system

Bodywork
• Weight optimised and widened Exige
• Lotus Design RTN “Z-preg.” carbon fibre bodywork
• Aerodynamically developed front splitter and rear diffuser
• Adjustable carbon rear wing
• Racing bucket seat (driver side only)
• Six-point seat belt, prepared for using HANS Safety System
• Removable steering wheel (with quick-connect coupling)
• Electrical fire extinguishing system
• 100 litre FT3 safety fuel cell with quick refuelling system
• Total weight of bodywork excluding doors ~ 44 kg

Suspension
• Double wishbone front suspension with spherical bearings
• Adjustable front anti-roll bar
• Non-PAS
• Double wishbone rear suspension with spherical bearings
• Adjustable rear anti-roll bar
• Ohlins ST44 3-way adjustable dampers
• Coil over damper springs front and rear
• Suspension adjustable for ride heights, camber and castor

Braking system
• Non-ABS system
• AP Racing pedal box with brake balance bar and AP Racing cylinders
• Aeroquip style brake lines
• Front AP Racing six piston brake calipers
• AP Racing vented discs diameter: 344 mm
• Aluminium disc bells, race brake pads
• Rear AP Racing four piston brake calipers
• AP Racing vented discs diameter: 330 mm
• Aluminium disc bells, race brake pads

Rims/Tyres
• OZ Racing Chrono single-piece cast magnesium rims:
• F – 8.8J x 17 ET40
• R – 11.25J x 18 ET50
• Yokohama tyres
• F – 250/610-17
• R – 280/650-18
• Single central wheel nuts with locking device

Electrical System
• Motec M600 engine management
• Stack display with integrated data recording
• Raychem 25 system wiring looms and Mil spec connectors
• Red Top battery: 12 Volt, 50 Ah
• Twin Bosch fuel pumps with change over switch
• Floor mounted carbon fibre centre switch console
• Circuit breaker switches (no fuses)
• 120 Ah Alternator

All favorite sport cars on the road.

Straight from Europe’s Extreme TV Gumball series delve right into the madness, fury and comedy of the Gumball Rally. This is a must see for all Gumball fans.

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Home made..

Lotus 340R – the most radical Elise derivative on them all. No roof, no doors, cycle wings and minimal bodyshell. A weight of only 675kg and a 177bhp (or optional 190bhp) engine provides stunning performance (0 – 60mph in 4.6 seconds).

It’s real nice, some body get to mach time.

Lotus 340 Home Made.

The design philosophy of Lotus is “Performance through light weight”, a philosophy first adopted by the founder of Lotus, Colin Chapman. The motto drives Lotus to obtain very high performance with lightweight cars in spite of their relatively modest power outputs, with a strong emphasis on driving purity and dynamics.
Series 1 Lotus Elise at the Apex of Snetterton’s Russell Chicane

The result is a sports car that in production form in 1996 weighed in at just 720 kg (1,500 lb). Compare this to a Porsche Boxster which is also considered to be an extremely lightweight sports car but weighs nearly twice as much — 1,250kg (2,756 lb).

As a result, the Elise’s acceleration, braking, cornering, and fuel consumption (all of which are improved by reductions in a car’s weight) was nothing short of astonishing in spite of the fact that the engine put out a relatively modest 120 bhp (89 kW). Compare that to 201 bhp (149 kW) produced by the 1997 Porsche Boxster.

Although high-tech, it represented affordable cost of ownership for sports car lovers on a budget who still wanted performance and looks.

Besides the “standard” higher-performance variants listed below, Lotus also released some limited edition models such as Sport 135 (1998/9) with approx 145 bhp (108 kW), Sport 160 (2000) with 150–160 bhp (112–119 kW) and Sport 190 (allegedly 190bhp / 142 kW). These were more competent on track with sports suspension, wheels and tyres, seats according to model. There were other special editions which were basically cosmetic treatments such as the 50th Anniversary Edition (green/gold) celebrating 50 years of Lotus cars, the Type 49 (“Gold Leaf” red and white two-tone), and Type 72 (“JPS” black/gold) to recall their successful Grand Prix car type numbers.

Lotus Exige

Also in 2000, Lotus introduced the Exige — a hardtop version of the Elise with the 177 bhp (131 kW) engine from the 340R — as well as different front and rear clams, larger wheels, and a rear wing. Many models received an upgrade to 190 bhp (142 kW) with better driveability due to changes to ECU and cam timing.

Lotus Seven Motorkhana.

A lotus seven driver providing an excellent example of car control and handling while competing in a motorkhana.

Around 50 Exotic cars whent for a six hour drive around Toronto. Some of the nicest rides in the world. Just to name a few of the cars.

Lamborghini Murcielago & Diablo, Ferrari F355, 360 & 550, Mercedes C32 AMG, Lotos Elise, Chevrolet corvette Z06, Acura NSX & S2000, Austin Vanquish DB7, Dodge Viper, Porsche 911 GT2 & Turbo. Tons of cars. Awesome day. This video was created by Picture Perfect Cinematography.